"Will you meet me today???""Where??"
"Near Hajji Ali..."
"Why There??"
"You coming or not??"
Naren was narrating me the whole conversation today he had with his girlfriend. Sorry, his ex-girlfriend, with whom he recently broke up. While listening to him i just glanced at my watch and it was already 1 am.
"Can you imagine Kaustubh, we met in a DARGAH...", standing in a balcony, holding a glass of whisky, taking in puff from his cigarette, he asked me.
"WHAT???", I asked him in amaze. I mean, both Naren and his girlfriend are hindu, then why they met in a dargah?
"Naren, will you please explain me the whole scenario?? Or just leave it buddy you are high...", I said.
"No no no, I am still in my senses and I know what I am speaking, OK I'll tell you the story...", he smiled and said.
Now I was only the silent listener and Naren started narrating the whole story with all his emotions poured in it..... He just went on without even waiting for my response...
"Today was her Birthday, and I did not even wish her... thinking, how would she feel or whether it would just ruin her party mood??? I was not at all interested in becoming the reason for her mood swing. But still when I left home in the morning for work, I was feeling very uneasy and incomplete. I always hate the paradox shown by my heart. I was avoiding her still thinking about her all the time. All the way I was driving to my office, I was listening to radio to rub off her thoughts from my mind. But I ended up listening to only romantic songs of various decades and again opening up the memorabilia".
While he was saying this there was a constant glow on his face. He was so engrossed in her sweet memories that he even forgot that, the day has already ended up and her birthday was yesterday. But I did not correct him, I just kept listening to him...
"I reached my office, even finished the meeting, had lunch but still she was on my mind. I thought of taking a break and moved out on busy streets of Mumbai. I took a cigarette, put it on my lips and god knows why I took it and threw it away. This was a signal to me from my brain that it was a high time now and I must wish her.... I took out my phone and to my surprise.... You know what??".
"No I did not... " I smiled and said.
"It was a call from her.. Within no time I answered the call and before anything Hi, Hello, I just shouted in an excitement, HAPPY BIRTHDAY... she welcomed it so warmly... like she used to do it before. And then she said OK listen."
"Will you meet me today???", she asked.
"Where??", I asked with an intention of saying yes.
"Near Hajji Ali...", she said.
"Why There??", I asked.
"You coming or not??", she asked in her sweet irritated tone.
After this there was no chance for me left to say no. I did not even walked back to my office to take my car. Straight away I hired a taxi to Hajji Ali Dargah. But wait, I forgot to say you something."
"What??", I asked.
He again started and this time I was also at the peak of my excitement and not at all interested in breaking his link.
"When I left my office post lunch, I straight away went to a watch showroom and bought a watch for her. I still don't have any explanation for this kind of weird behavior of mine. While I was on the way in a taxi, all the time I was thinking was.... Is this is what people refer to as "TELEPATHY"?? Whatever!!! I was very happy and excited too. I reached the meeting point. I waited there for around Five minutes and took out my phone to call her and turned back and.............There she was....", he took a sip from his glass.
"You know Kaustubh, today I did not smoke a single puff. After watching her I was feeling proud of my decision. I feel she is the most intoxicated drug for me, because the kick i got after meeting her was much more powerful than i usually get after i smoke. She was looking very beautiful in that white top. For few seconds we just lost in each other's eyes. When I regained my senses, I took her hand in my hand and tied the watch around her wrist, which i bought to gift her and wished her Birthday. She smiled so elegantly and thanked me for the gift.
I asked her, "Why this place??"
"Friends", she said and pointed towards her friends.
I got her signal, but was least interested in place, time or anything else as I was happy to be with her.
As we started walking towards the Dargah, we exchanged few words regarding our relationship status and all. Of course it was not at all a business meeting to discuss marketing strategies... By the time we reached the entrance of the Dargah, we noticed that nothing had changed between us. We were still in love with each other, but it was a new start again for a great future.
I don't know whether we will again come together or not. But it was clear that, no one of us had move on. Also no one is ready to make a first move. Yet she initiated and called me."
He smiled at me while saying this.
"We sat on the stones near the Dargah, she gave me the chocolate, we shared it and ended up our short and sweet meet looking at the beautiful sunset. It was the most beautiful evening of my life......"
By saying this, Naren ended up our conversation with a heavy heart, eyes filled with tears and mind in a dual state of mind.... Happiness and Hollowness together at a time......
P.S.:- This post does not support or promote Cigarette smoking, doping or alcoholism.
